Candy and Books
by Aerialskyinstorybrooke
Summary: L has just begun to take an interest in the Kira case. What happens before he speaks at Interpol? Could it help him solve this case in a matter of days?
1. So We Meet Again

One case had the legendary detective L stumped. Really. Over a hundred people simultaneously dying of heart attacks? It couldn't be a coincidence. Someone in the world had the power to kill people with heart attacks, and they had to be stopped at all costs.

This is why L knew he had to take action. This monstrous crime of mass murder has been recorded as the most in history. And that was bad. "Watari." He instructed the person on the other end of the call. With a simple click of a button, he had contacted his assistant. "Link me up to Interpol's meeting scheduled for today."

Watari gave an affirmative nod before ending the call. Unlike L, he was out and about in the real world, not shut up in a building. His job was to alert L if something strange happened, or to run errands if need be. This was one of those days. He knew he was risking his life, since he was not wearing his normal Watari attire, but he would look really suspicious if he did while going shopping. That being said, he wore a black suit with a black hat, walking down the aisles as he grabbed what he needed and set them in his basket.

Once he was done shopping, Watari got into his car, pulling out his cell phone. It was ringing, 'UNKNOWN NUMBER' displayed on the screen. How strange. Nobody ever called him. He didn't even know why he still had a mobile phone. It was of no use to him. After hesitating slightly, the older man answered the phone. "Hello?"

"I need to speak with L." The voice on the other end said, seeming nervous. It was strange. The caller had a voice modifier so it sounded like L for a moment. But Watari knew that L would never contact him like this.

"May I ask who this is?" The older man said, frowning to himself. Something wasn't right here.

"It's A."

Watari froze. A. One of the girls from Wammy's House that killed herself. Or so he thought. "A? You're supposed to be—"

"Dead. I know. Don't ask me how, because I don't know either." A spoke, sounding genuinely confused, even with the filter on.

Watari didn't know what to do. What should he do? Could it be possible that A was alive? Or was this all just a trap? "Hold on. I'll transfer you." Without another word, for he could barely manage to speak at all in the first place, Watari sent the call over to the detective.

L lifted his head in interest when his computer beeped. He clicked a few buttons, turning the voice modifier on as always. "Watari? What is it?"

"It's A. We need to talk."

L froze, shocked and fearful. "A…?" Was this a dream? Or did she really not die like everyone thought. Without thinking, he made an internet search for A's death certificate. Truth be told, it was there, her date of death just over two years ago.

"No need to search for me, L." A said with a slight laugh. She knew him too well. "I've already done it."

"But how?" Was all L could get out, though he had no doubt a million questions to be answered at that moment.

"Beats me. All I know is that I woke up in the woods. No memory at all. Then as the days passed, I began to remember things. Wammy's. Who I was. My friends. Just lots of things. Some things I don't remember seeing before."

"Like what?" L said, concerned. This was a huge discovery. The girl who was first in line to be his successor had killed herself, yet there she was speaking to him as if nothing had happened.

"I saw a boy… There were numbers floating above his head…" A began, seeming to pause to remember clearly. "And I believe his name was there too. Light Yagami. That was there above the numbers."

"What were the numbers?" L asked, trying to figure out a reason for this or to solve this problem A seemed to have.

"9, 3, 31, 26, 3, 9." A recited, and L could picture her scrunching her nose up as she thought hard.

L frowned. Those numbers had no possible connections. "Anything else you remember? Any little detail?"

"There was a monster standing next to the boy… next to Light Yagami." A paused. "I can hear him calling it a Shinigami."

L was utterly speechless for the second time that day. Shinigami? Did they really truly exist? That would explain Kira's message… 'L do you know gods of death love apples?' L put a thumb to his mouth, thinking.

"Well? Say something!" A pulled him out of his thoughts.

"I think we need to meet."


	2. Tears Are Shed

The brown haired girl shifted in her seat uneasily. This was difficult for her to be doing, being out in the open like this. But L had insisted that they met somewhere public just in case. She of course, had been angry at first about it, but soon understood why. He didn't quite trust her yet. And given the circumstances, she didn't blame him.

Luckily the booth she was sitting at was in the very back, isolated from the rest. Necessary for their meeting. If L was recognized by someone, it could cause terrible problems. For the both of them.

"Come on..." A frowned, checking her watch. 6:36 p.m. L was supposed to be here by now. Where was he? He had never been late for anything before in his life, that she was aware of at least. As a matter of fact, she'd never even seen him personally before. Only seeing his black L symbol on the computer screen as he spoke to the children of Wammy's. And even that was rare.

Interrupting her thoughts, an unfamiliar figure approached the booth, and from the corner of her eye A could see it take a seat. Lifting her head, A was met with a strange sight.

A man, seeming to be around his mid 20's, was seated across from her, his black mop of hair messy and hanging around his head in a way she'd never known anyone to style their hair. The man wore a long sleeved white shirt, and some baggy blue jeans.

Could this be L?

No. That was absurd. L didn't look like this.

 _But how do you know what he looks like?_ A voice inside her head reminded her. Damn.

She had no way of knowing if this was truly him or not. He could have sent a fake, and she never would have known...

No. She had to tell herself repeatedly that this was the real L. It had to be. He just... looked different that what she expected.

What had she been expecting?

Maybe a grown man wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase like a lawyer? Maybe casual clothing and neat hair? Maybe someone who looked like a stereotypical detective would?

In truth, she didn't know what she'd been expecting.

"So it's true." The man- no, L- spoke, startling A with his deep and mono-toned voice. "You're alive."

A couldn't hide her embarrassment. The way he addressed her sent chills down her spine. She wasn't sure how to respond. Then again, when she began to say something, L cut her off.

"I wanted to see for myself, though Watari warned me it might possibly be a trap."

Right. That's why he was late. He was making sure that she wasn't some kind of secret agent or something along the lines of it. She understood that perfectly. But she hadn't thought of it that quickly. Another reason she committed suicide. She knew she would never be L. A slunk further into her seat, wanting to run away.

"I'm sorry." L said, quietly, as if he noticed his error.

A was silent for a while, pondering. That was the worst first impression she'd ever gotten. Oh, no. She was losing it again. She was getting emotional. Dammit! She bit her lip nervously while lowering her gaze to find the floor of the restaurant.

L brought a thumb to his lip, also thinking hard. He hadn't really known what he said to make her become this way, but he knew from the way she was acting, it was a bad thing. Frowning and unsure how to help her in this situation, L got up from his side of the booth, L awkwardly stepped to her side and placed his arms around her frail frame.

Had she always been this small and vulnerable? There was no way to know, not without asking about her past, which he knew without a doubt that she wouldn't want him to bring it up. A was a small pebble, sinking further and further into the ocean after being thrown out into it.

Thats it! L realized fully now why she looked as if she was about to start crying. He had unknowingly brought up something that connected to the reason for her death in the first place. Cursing himself mentally, L properly hugged A, actually showing guilt and emotions for once.

It was such a strange sight. If a stranger happened to walk by, they might think they were having a fight, or maybe even breaking up, but that was not the case. He knew that now.

L was the one who had thrown her into the ocean of darkness and despair, letting her sink to the bottom without once thinking how she felt about it. And he wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Listen to me, A..." L began, muttering into the girls ear. "I never meant to push you beyond your limits... I simply wanted to know if you could do what I did." A brief pause. "But that was a terrible error on my part. You don't have to be me... That's the last thing I want."

A listened, zoning out at L's brave words. Was he admitting he made a mistake? Did he truly understand what she was feeling like right now? He had to. It just made sense.

"Thank you, L..." A whispered, a single, salty tear falling down her pale cheek as she spoke. Her voice trembled, full of fear and weakness. But L didn't care. Even he had emotional days. "I'm so glad you understand..."

L nodded, pulling back from the hug to look A in the eyes. Blue eyes met black, and a connection, a bond was formed.


End file.
